Epistrèfo
by Camotaru
Summary: He remembers looking at the son of Jupiter, tears streaming down his face, and thinking, This is not his time to die. Nico bows before his father, and he chooses rebirth.
1. Chapter I: Gènnisi

**Epistr****èfo**

_Chapter I: Gènnisi_

Nico remembers pain.

He remembers screaming, and blood, and the feeling he has when someone dies.

He remembers the ones who call him their friend.

And he remembers looking at the son of Jupiter, tears streaming down his face, and thinking, _This is not his time to die._

Nico bows before his father, and he chooses rebirth.

Nico di Angelo dies.

A hellhound pup is born.

* * *

He is different than his spawnmates, he can tell. All they want is blood, prey, and fights. He finds he doesn't enjoy eating the meat given to him by his Female Spawner, but he doesn't show it because that's how Elder Female Spawnmate was killed.

The word "sister" pops into his mind, but he doesn't know what that means, so he ignores it.

When he is old enough to kill on his own, he is addressed by his Packleader as _Foni__ás_, but it echoes wrongly and he almost wants to protest.

He ignores it, and accepts his reward for surviving.

He doesn't want to be different, because those different are killed, so he doesn't think about how the sight of the dead Prey, two-legged with a fire-colored second-skin, cause bile to rise in his throat.

_Foniás _the hellhound takes a bite out of the bloody meat.


	2. Chapter II: Synántisi

**Epistr****èfo**

_Chapter II: Synántisi_

_Foniás _is stronger now, and his Packleader rewards him by making him Half-Packleader. His Half-Pack is loyal, obedient, and bloodthirsty, just like a Half-Pack should be.

He feels like he should be able to tell the difference between each hellhound, maybe learn their titles and names.

He doesn't.

* * *

They are hunting, and they glide through the shadows, chasing after the Prey they scented. When they catch up to him, they watch him through the darkness.

He is two-legged, with a grape-colored second-skin, and head-fur that reminds him of Lord Hades' comrade, Lord Apollo.

But this Prey is different. He has the grape-colored second-skin, but he also has the leather collar that the ones with the fire-colored second-skin has. He has two sets of eyes, one metallic and unattatched to him.

He smells of Sky.

_Foniás _snarls, and his Half-Pack converges, lusting for the crimson taste of the Prey. The Sky-Prey makes surprised mouth-noises and swings his Danger-Stick, killing many of his Half-Pack.

He almost joins in, but then he notices that his Prey was already injured.

The Sky-Prey's arm that is not holding the Danger-Stick is hanging limp, and his body is shaking erratically. His flesh is become more and more cloud-colored, and he is panting like he is being strangled. _Foniás _can tell that the Sky-Prey will die very soon.

_This is not his time to die._

He barks, and his Half-Pack stills. When he flicks his tail, they turn and bound back into the shadows without a sound, their obedience outweighing their blood lust.

_Foniás_ remains.

The Sky-Prey looks at him, makes a weak mouth-noise, and faints.

_Foniás _is ready, and positioned underneath him, so the Sky-Prey falls on to his back. He thinks it should be strange, touching live Prey without killing it and without orders to do so, but he ignores it.

_Foniás _the hellhound melts into the shadows with the Sky-Prey on his back.


	3. Chapter III: Asfalìs

**Epistr****èfo**

_Chapter III: Asfalìs_

He doesn't know where he is going, but he knows if he returns to the Pack, the Sky-Prey will be eaten.

He doesn't know why he can't return to the Pack.

_Foniás _travels through the darkness and arrives at a Tree-Ocean.

* * *

The Sky-Prey will be safe here, he can feel it. Up ahead, he hears the mouth-noises of Prey, and when he creeps closer to investigate, he sees a group of three.

They all wear fire-colored second-skin, but it is easy to tell them apart. The tallest Prey has shadow-colored head-fur, and he smells of Ocean. The next Prey is female, and she has the same colored head-fur as the Sky-Prey. She smells of dust and scrolls. The shortest Prey has tree-colored head-fur and he smells like fire and metallic objects.

He growls softly, and in an instant the three Prey have Danger-Sticks out and ready to cause pain.

Then the Fire-Prey makes shocked mouth-noises, and all three are running at him.

_Foniás _thinks he should be wary or frightened, but instead he stands calmly without moving because he knows they are just worried about the Sky-Prey.

The Ocean-Prey lifts the Sky-Prey off of his back and set him on the ground, completely disregarding _Foniás_' presence. The Scroll-Prey looks at him warily, but instead of brandishing her Danger-Stick, she reaches into her Back-Pouch and sets something in front of him.

He sniffs it. It is Prey-Food. Hellhounds do not eat Prey-Food, so he decides she must be confused. He picks up the Prey-Food and drops it on the Sky-Prey. That is what the Scroll-Prey meant to do, surely.

The Prey all start making mouth-noises at once, with many different emotions, but _Foniás _can see that the Sky-Prey will be healed here. Perhaps this is his Preypack?

The Sky-Prey will not be permitted to die with his Preypack. He wonders why he feels relieved.

_Foniás _the hellhound slinks back into the shadows to rejoin his Pack.


	4. Chapter IV: Diásosi

**Epistr****èfo**

_Chapter IV: Diásosi_

He was punished when he returned to his Pack, but that was to be expected. Even though he had pretended that the Sky-Prey had escaped on his own, he was now missing one ear, his tail, and his title as Half-Packleader.

He wonders why he doesn't regret saving the Sky-Prey.

_Foniás _decides that he will try and prove himself to his Pack and his Packleader.

* * *

The next Prey is brought into the Den live, for the yearly Snowhunt. In the Snowhunt, the Prey is to be dropped into a pit armed with its Danger-Stick, and whichever hellhound kills it first get to eat it.

_Foniás _is fully prepared to win it, and earn his Pack's respect. He will ignore the disgust, as he always has, because that will show he is not different, and he will not be killed.

Then he encounters the selected Prey.

It isn't one he's seen before, but there is still something different about it. It's a female, with a grape-colored second-skin, tree-colored hair and skin.

She smells of death and metal, and it feels like home.

If he still had a tail, it would be sinking, because he knows he cannot allow her to die either.

The Death-Prey is released into the pit, and the Pack lunges after her.

_Foniás _pushes ahead, straining to reach her before she is killed, but he is still weakened from his punishment.

A larger hellhound pounces, and he doesn't think. Whirling around, he closes his jaws around the others muzzle, and the hellhound jerks back, yelping in shock and rage.

He darts forward, grabs part of the Death-Prey's second-skin, and leaps into the shadows. She makes loud mouth-noises, panicked and frightened and pained, but _Foniás _does not stop, springing from shadow to shadow.

When he doesn't sense anymore tailing him, he halts, and immediately collapses. His body heaves with every labored breath, but he can't seem to get enough air, and he can feel his body shaking, much like the Sky-Prey's was.

_Foniás _the hellhound sinks into unconsciousness with the Death-Prey crouched beside him.


	5. Chapter V: Zestasiá

**Epistr****èfo**

_Chapter V: Zestasiá_

When he wakes up, the sky is dark. The Death-Prey is off to the side surrounded by glittering metal. He watches through slitted eyes as she feeds a metal to a strange four-legged creature.

The creature is the first to notice that he is awake, and it makes a shrill mouth-noise that cause the Death-Prey to gasp and spin around.

_Foniás _blinks slowly, then stands up. Both the Prey and the creature eye him warily and take a step back.

It's then that he realizes where they are. The Tree-Ocean he landed isn't one he's been to, but he somehow recognizes it. The Death-Prey doesn't seem to know where they are, but he can tell that there is a place she will be safe here.

He sees her Back-Pouch lying on the ground near him, so he picks it up with his mouth and gestures at her with his head.

When he trots off, he is pleased to find both creature and Prey following him.

* * *

He is close, he can feel it. The creature bounded off long ago, gone in the blink of an eye.

He would be suspicious, but the Death-Prey acted like it was normal, so he let it go.

The sky is just beginning to get light, and the Death-Prey keeps making tired mouth-noises and opening her mouth.

Suddenly, he pricks his ear. There! He can hear the sounds of Prey faintly in the distance! Taking a deep breath, he drops the Back-Pouch and lets out a long howl to signify their arrival.

Almost immediately, he hears the sound of Prey coming near. The first Prey that arrives has a fire-colored second-skin and smells like...

The Fire-Prey! He knows this Prey!

The Prey evidently remembers him as well, because after tackling the Death-Prey and calling to the other Prey, it runs over to him and starts making rapid mouth-noises.

Where is the Sky-Prey? Is he alive? Is the Death-Prey part of his Preypack? _Foniás _get his answers as the Sky-Prey hobbles over the hill with a strange white wrap on his arm. He is joined by the Ocean-Prey, the Scroll-Prey, and many other Prey he doesn't recognize.

The Fire-Prey gestures wildly at him, making excited, disbelieving mouth-noises, and the Sky-Prey cries out in shock and joy.

They are his Prey. Why are they happy to see him?

Then the Fire-Prey starts getting closer. When he is a few trees away, _Foniás _growls to make him stop. He doesn't like being touched unnecessarily, especially by Prey.

The Fire-Prey halts uncertainly, but then another Prey approaches him. He has a fire-colored second-skin, with the same colored head-fur as the Sky-Prey, but _Foniás _is inexplicably drawn to his eyes.

They are the color of the sky, and the Prey smells like poultice and sunlight.

He allows the Sun-Prey to lay a hand on his head and run his fingers gently over the wound where his ear used to be.

_Foniás _the hellhound feels warmth and a sense of homecoming as he closes his eyes and leans into the touch.


	6. Chapter VI: Tréximo

**Epistr****èfo**

_Chapter VI: Tréximo_

When he opens his eyes, he is in a different location than when he closed them. This prompts him to instantly leap up with bared fangs and a snarl, eyes automatically locating the nearest shadows.

The Prey that are gathered around him all shriek and pull Danger-Sticks out of seemingly nowhere, but _Foniás' _gaze snaps to one Prey in particular instead.

It is... for lack of better terms... missing.

And in its place is a pup.

Not a hellhound, or even an adult Preydog, but a strange, sand-colored pup with a scrunched-up shadow-colored snout that looks smashed in.

It makes a sniffle sound, and _Foniás _stumbles back in confusion, cocking his head slightly.

At this point, the Prey has all relaxed, put away their Danger-Sticks and are making amused mouth-noises.

The pup then vanishes, and in its place is the Prey again. He whines in frustration. Where did the pup go? The Fire-Prey makes an amused, teasing mouth-noise at the Vanish-Prey, and then the pup is back.

What.

_Foniás _turns to the Sky-Prey and whines. He wants an explanation! The Prey don't even seem concerned that a member of their Preypack disappeared!

Is it supposed to happen?

The Prey are all making amused mouth-noises at him now, and he feels uncomfortable. Of course he doesn't know they're supposed to do that! No other Prey does that! His ear droops slightly. He doesn't like the Preypack that much anymore.

He looks up again, at the faces of the Prey he recognizes. The Vanish-Prey, the Ocean-Prey, the Fire-Prey, the Scroll-Prey, the Sun-Prey, the Death-Prey, and the Sky-Prey.

_Foniás _the hellhound turns away and leaps back into the shadows.


	7. Chapter VII: Eínai

**Epistr****èfo**

_Chapter VII: Eínai_

Afterwords, he is alone for a while. He will be killed if he returns to his Pack, and he doesn't belong anywhere else.

_Foniás i_s alone for what feels like a really long time, but he tries to ignore the sad feelings like he does with all his other differences.

The places where his ear and tail used to be are covered in fur once more. They never hurt, though, and he thinks the Sun-Prey did something when he fell asleep last time.

He doesn't miss the Preypack. He doesn't.

* * *

He is hunting when they take him.

He doesn't know who or what they are, but they take him and keep him locked in a small, cramped cage in a place with many other cages containing a multitude of creatures.

They are all making lots of noise, clamoring in distress and outrage and fear and pain, and it's so overwhelming that he just wants to _make them stop_. He can't hear himself think and the cage restricts his movement and‒‒

‒‒_he's trapped, and he knows he can't get out, so he gives up trying. The air has long since dissipated, but he brought the special fruit to help with that and the hunger. It doesn't stop the thoughts, though, and he knows he has to get free, has to run away like he always has, run from the people and their happiness, run_ _from_ _**him **__and those feelings, run from anything that can get into his heart and hurt him. He's a coward, he knows this, but the two monsters keep repeating it over and over, and even though he knows it, it still hurts. No one will come for him, because they all hate him, and they should, because he's worthless, he's a failure, he's a burden, an outcast, a mistake, he's_‒‒ _he's_‒‒

_He's N_‒‒

The hellhound screams, because he has no idea who he is anymore.


	8. Chapter VIII: Konístra

**Epistr****èfo**

_Chapter VIII:__K__onístra_

They move his cage out to an open arena. There are monsters and Prey all around the arena, making loud, taunting noises.

They open his cage.

His body feels numb, but he feels himself getting up and stepping out. There are other cages in the arena with lots of other types of monsters and Prey. Their cages open, and they leap out with roars of fury.

He stands next to his open cage, body unmoving and mind whirling.

Something is charging at him, but he doesn't move to defend himself. Why should he? Why does he need to live if he doesn't know who he is?

Then, the monster suddenly dissolves.

A Prey is standing in its place, Danger-Stick drawn and gaze steely. She has dark, tree-colored head-fur and a glittering grape-colored second-skin streaming off of her back. She holds her head high and gives off an aura of leadership.

The Leader-Prey makes a determined mouth-noise at him, and he is suddenly filled with courage and strength.

It doesn't matter who he is. The Preypack cares about him.

_This is not his time to die._

It isn't the hellhound's time, either.

* * *

He feels like he has been fighting forever, but he doesn't stop until everything except he and the Leader-Prey are dead.

She nods at him, and he feels pride.

The arena explodes, then, and suddenly most of the Preypack is there, killing the monsters that descend on them.

The Sky-Prey swoops down from above, starts making relieved mouth-noises at the Leader-Prey, and spots him.

The Sky-Prey freezes for a heartbeat before lunging at him with an overjoyed wail.

The hellhound thinks, _It's time to go home,_ and passes out in the Sky-Prey's arms.


	9. Chapter IX: Ónoma

**Epistr****èfo**

_Chapter IX: Ó__noma_

When he awakes, the Prey have taken care of all the monsters but him and are all hopping on a strange flying machine. He doesn't think twice about going with them.

They all make happy and relieved mouth-noises when they see him, and the Vanish-Prey even looks ashamed. The Sun-Prey isn't there, but there is another Prey there he doesn't recognize. She has a feather in her tree-colored head-fur and he has seen her fight using strange mouth-noises. The Sky-Prey's scent surrounds her, and he decides that he and the Feather-Prey must be mates. The Ocean-Prey and the Scroll-Prey look to be mates as well, as with the Vanish-Prey and the Death-Prey.

He wonders if the Fire-Prey, the Leader-Prey, or the Sun-Prey have mates.

He doesn't feel so alone anymore.

* * *

The machine lands at the place he brought the Death-Prey before. He thinks that it must be their Preyden. His eyes widen when they arrive. The Preypack is huge! There are so many Prey! Most of them have fire-colored second-skin, but there is still quite a few with grape-colored second-skin.

The Prey are immediately surrounded by their Packmates, and he is shrinking back into the shadows when the Sun-Prey sees him.

He looks so _happy_ when he spots him, and he feels warm inside.

The Sun-Prey runs his hands along his body and makes a couple quiet mouth-noises. He feels the lingering wounds disappear.

The Ocean-Prey suddenly makes a loud, piercing noise that causes his ear to ring.

Out of nowhere, another hellhound appears, bounding towards the Prey.

She is _huge. _He feels threatened at first. What is this for? Did they replace him? Are they testing him?

Then she barks, and he understands.

_This is my Preypack, _she tells him cheerfully, _where all are welcome!_

_Who is the Packleader? _he asks, because there must be one, right?

_It's different for everyone, _she replies, _but this one is mine._

She trots resolutely over to the Ocean-Prey and plops down beside him, radiating joy.

_His name, _she explains seriously, _is Seaweed-Brain. His mate is Wise-Girl. When you pick your Packleader, you can decide on his name. You don't have to identify it by scent anymore._

So the Ocean-Prey is Seaweed-Brain and the Scroll-Prey is Wise-Girl.

The Prey all look a little confused, but he doesn't hesitate any longer.

The hellhound walks up to the Sky-Prey and says, _Your name is S__pítha._


	10. Chapter X: Táfos

**Epistr****èfo**

_Chapter X: T__áfos_

He spends a long time living in the Preyden with the Preypack.

_His_ Preypack.

The other hellhound cheerfully announces that her name is Leary. She casually reveals that she just calls the Prey what they call each other, and he is shocked.

She can_ understand mouth-noises_?!

When he asks her this, she sheepishly admits she can only understands bits and pieces, but he is still amazed.

Apart from S_pítha_, who the Prey call Sparky, he begins to refer to the Prey as they do each other.

The Feather-Prey is Beauty-Queen.

The Fire-Prey is Repair-Boy.

The Death-Prey is Haze.

The Vanish-Prey is Baby-Man.

The Leader-Prey is Praetor.

The Sun-Prey is Medic.

Sometimes the Prey leave the Preyden for periods of time, but the others don't seem worried, so he thinks it must be normal.

Then one day, everything changes.

* * *

It seems like a normal day at first. He and Leary wrestle (Leary wins), and then they have fun scaring the strange leaf-colored Prey out of the trees. He bounds up to S_pítha_ to see if he wants to play, but the Prey is strangely downcast and lethargic. Leary explains it to him in an uncharacteristically somber tone.

_It's the anniversary of one of their Packmates' death, _she informs him sadly, _He was quiet, but really nice and he never forgot about me._

_What was his name? _he asks softly, _What was he like? _He knows he would be devastated if Leary or _Spítha _died.

_Death-Breath, _she replies, _Every year the Prey all go honor him by being sad and putting things by a rock._

He is silent after that.

* * *

The Prey do exactly as Leary what describes: put things by a rock. He starts to wonder why this honors the dead Prey, before he dismisses it as a strange Prey ritual.

By the time they finish placing everything there, it is overcrowded and very colorful. There is a tiny, Prey-shaped object that sort of looks like Lord Hades. There is a blood-colored box with sun-colored designs that smells _really_ good. There are flowers and bones and sparkly bits of metal that pop out of the ground around Haze, and Repair-Boy even puts down a fake set of sharp Prey teeth.

It's very confusing.

But the Prey stand around for a long time, and they all look so sad. Leary howls, long and sorrowful.

He thinks Death-Breath must have been a really nice Prey.

And then he sees the Danger-Stick.

It's shadow-colored, sticking up from the ground in front of the rock, and he feels drawn to it.

_Stygian iron_, he thinks, as if in a trance.

The hellhound walks forward and touches the cold blade with the tip of his nose.


	11. Chapter XI: Gélio

**Epistr****èfo**

_Chapter XI: Gélio_

The Prey are still saddened for days after the anniversary, but he thinks they're starting to get happier.

Meanwhile, Leary has been teaching him how to understand the mouth-noises.

She quizzes him several times a day, and sometimes he can even pick up on their conversations!

Then, he hears a call from the Eating-Place.

"Shadow!" It's Repair-Boy_. _He feels a brief moment of triumph at his understanding before he cocks his head in confusion. Shadow? Why is calling that? The he hears him call again.

"Blacky!" What? And then,

"Stygian!" Instantly, his head snaps over in the direction of the Eating-Place. Do they have more of that Stygian iron stuff from the rock? It felt so good when he touched it with his nose! Before he knows what he's doing, the hellhound bounds into the shadows and appears in front of his Packmate.

_Where is it?! _he barks in excitement, momentarily forgetting that the Prey can't understand him.

Repair-Boy yelps in shock before suddenly breaking out in amused mouth-noises. He's dismayed to find he can only decipher parts of it.

"– name – Stygian – dog – monsters – save the world – gods –" The Prey is babbling in glee and euphoria, but he can do nothing but stare.

What?! Is he sick? The realization hits him like Leary's claw. Repair-Boy's sick! But he knows how to help him. Lunging forward, the hellhound grabs a mouthful of second-skin – which, strangely, reminds him of when he saved Haze – and leaps into the shadows.

* * *

He arrives at the Sick-Place and promptly dumps his Packmate at Medic's feet.

He's _still rambling! _The Prey hadn't even paused in his mouth-noises, and he feels a sense of dread. The illness must be worse than he thought.

_Fix him! _he whines imploringly at Medic. To his surprise, both Prey suddenly burst into amused mouth-noises.

The hellhound huffs in frustration and stalks back to Leary.


	12. Chapter XII: Kalései

**Epistr****èfo**

_Chapter XII: Kalései_

It's a couple days later when he finally finds out what happened to Repair-Boy. The realization comes in the form of Leary pouncing on him playfully (and painfully – she isn't the lightest hellhound).

_Congratulations! _she yips, radiating joy. He struggles to squirm out from under her.

_Get off me! _he growls uncomfortably. Contact with other beings feels nice, sure, but he still can't shake the feeling that they're going to hurt him somehow. _What am I being congratulated for, anyways?_

She sighs in mock-pity. _Don't tell me you didn't notice? You have a name! The Prey keep calling you the same thing!_

He perks up. _Really?! _Getting his own name by his Pack is important. It means they respect him enough to call him one of them. _What is it?!_

She opens her mouth to answer, but is cut off by a strange noise. It echoes throughout the Preyden and all of the Prey in the area look up.

He smells blood.

The Prey suddenly all snap into action and race towards the Danger-Stick Place. Other Prey who already have Danger-Sticks sprint in the direction of the entrance.

_Seaweed-Brain,_ Leary whines.

They run for their Packleaders.

* * *

When they get to the entrance, he understands what the noise meant.

Fight.

All around them, the Prey are fighting all kinds of creatures, from hellhounds to harpies to the large monsters that Wise-Girl calls Canadians.

_Seaweed-Brain, _Leary repeats urgently, and then she is only a black streak flying down the hill, fighting her way towards her Packleader.

He scans the area for _Spítha_, but he can't find him.

A scream echoes around the battlefield.

Time slows down.

_Spítha_ is crumpled on the ground, knocked unconscious.

Blood is steadily leaking out of his head, quickly creating a crimson pool around him.

A hellhound dives in for the kill.

The Pack roars as one, but nobody is close enough.

_This is not his time to die._

He barks, and time speeds up.

The earth is shaking and cracking open, and out climb white, bony creatures and flying, see-through Prey.

_Kill,_ he commands, and then the never ending stream of creatures – _his _creatures – do exactly as he commands them to.

In a matter of seconds, the enemy is demolished.

He barks, and his creatures dissolve in an instant.

"Stygian. . ." someone says in horror and shock.

Stygian the hellhound drops to the ground in a dead faint.


	13. Chapter XIII: Érimos

**Epistr****èfo**

_Chapter XIII: É__ri̱mos_

He wakes up to mouth-noises all around him.

There are dozens of Prey all around him in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. At first it's very disorienting, but as his vision clears he spots Medic and several other Prey moving around his body and making the wounds disappear.

Then Haze gasps, "Stygian!"

The Prey all freeze, and suddenly the clearing is dead silent.

Praetor snaps out of her trance first and steps forward. She kneels by his head.

She then glares at him with a face like stone. "If your name was Nico di Angelo, you will bark in Morse code‒–I _know _Leo taught you‒–and sit by your sister."

The other Prey are starting to look nervous and doubtful now, some even sad or a little angry.

He has absolutely no idea what a "Nico di Angelo" is, or how to "bark in Morse code". He doesn't know a "Leo", and he doesn't understand what a "sister" is.

But his instincts are telling him exactly what to do.

He used to ignore his instincts, like the ones that told him not to eat the Prey, or that he should learn the names of his hellhound Packmates.

He doesn't ignore them anymore.

He barks rapidly three times, then twice more with a long whine at the end, followed by a bark with two whines and another bark.

Then he casually gets up and trots over to Haze.

The Prey are all frozen with identical looks of shock and awe on their faces.

"'Sup, Death-Breath," Repair-Boy greets back weakly, and the Prey lunge forward as one.

* * *

He is ashamed.

He _knows _they wouldn't hurt him, and he _knows_ he isn't in any danger.

That doesn't stop him from reacting.

When the Prey dive at him with relief and happiness and love and shock and so much more‒– he can't help it.

He turns to the shadows and runs.

When he comes out, he finds himself in an open field under a sky full of stars.

He can't bring himself to go back.

He's so ashamed.

* * *

Leary taught him about days. He thinks he's been gone for more than ten of them.

He misses her. He misses all of them.

He still can't go back.

He tries. He'll jump into the shadows with the intent of going back‒–going _home_‒–but he always ends up slinking out somewhere else at the last minute.

He's hungry, too.

No matter what he tries to eat, he can't help but think that it might have a Pack waiting for it.

Hellhounds can't survive off of plants alone.

He wants his Preypack.

Stygian the hellhound howls mournfully at the night sky.


	14. Chapter XIV: Istoría

**Epistr****èfo**

_Chapter XIV: I__storía_

He is wandering in the middle of a frozen Tree-Ocean‒–_forest_, he remembers Leary saying‒–at night when he feels it.

Hunt.

It isn't him that's hunting, though. He's the one being hunted.

He springs to the side just as a large canine lunges, jaws snapping at the place he was just at. It snarls at him, and he takes a shaky step back, weak from hunger.

_Move! _his instincts roar at him, and he dives to the side again as a sharp stick impales itself in the ground in front of him.

He can see his predators now.

They are are Prey. He can't fight back.

They are all female, dressed in moon-colored second-skins, with strange curved Danger-Sticks and packs of Sharp-Sticks on their backs.

He is cornered, and for some reason, he doesn't want to die.

Some of the Prey aim their Danger-Curves at him, loaded with deadly Sharp-Sticks, when one abruptly straightens and holds up her hand.

The others freeze.

"What is it?" one asks, confused.

She ignores the other Prey and steps forward cautiously.

"Hello," she greets softly, "It's alright. We won't hurt you. I know you're not like the other hellhounds."

He stares at the Prey, eyes wide. What?

The other Prey reflect his confusion.

She ignores them, too.

"You're the one Jason told me about, right?" she continues, slowly getting closer, "The hellhound with no tail and only one ear. You ran off after showing them that you were‒–after showing them who you were."

The other Prey start to lower their weapons.

"You went by Stygian, right? Come with us. You'll be safe."

He follows.

* * *

The female Prey tells him lots of things. Her name is Thalia, and she smells like _Spítha_.

Sometimes it makes him sad, but only a little. Thalia is almost nothing like his Packleader. Where he is quiet and gentle, she is loud and tough.

She treats him no different than she does the other Prey.

He likes this.

He learns that their Preypack includes the canines, and they are called Hunters.

He also learns the other Preys' names, but promptly forgets them.

Thalia loves telling stories.

First, she tells him a story about three young Prey who desperately try to survive against all the bad monsters, and how they make their own small Preypack while trying to get to the Safe Place. She calls the Safe Place "Camp Half-Blood".

When she first starts the story, she introduces the three Prey as Luke, Annabeth, and Thalia. At the last name, he turns to her in shock.

"Don't look so surprised," she says, slightly amused, "These are all true stories."

He listens more carefully after that.

* * *

The story finishes with the three Prey arriving at Camp Half-Blood. He listens, wide-eyed, as she explains how she sacrificed herself for her Preypack and got transformed into a tree.

He never looks at trees the same way again.

The next story picks up with a male Prey called Percy. She describes how he meets Annabeth, the female from the last story, and the Goat-Prey Grover, who was also in the last story. She tells him about Lord Zeus's lightning bolt, and Percy's "mother"‒–this is what she calls his Female Spawner, he figures out‒–and even Lord Hades!

He is beyond stunned when she tells him of Luke's betrayal. How could he do something like that to Annabeth, whom he swore to protect?! And to think he admired him in the first story!

While she tells the stories, they continue traveling with the Hunter-Pack, and he find himself becoming used to their company. The only Prey that really converses with him is Thalia, but none of the others are particularly impolite, either. He wonders why they are all female, though.

When Thalia tells him about how she turned back into a Prey from a tree, and the valiant quest Percy, Annabeth, Grover, Clarisse (a female Prey), and Tyson (a male Cyclops) went on to bring it about, he can't help but find himself warming up to Percy. The male Prey really helped a lot of people, didn't he?

* * *

After that, Thalia talks about how she, Percy, and Annabeth went on a trip to bring some more young Prey back to Camp Half-Blood so they would be safe.

"Their names were Bianca and Nico di Angelo," she says, eyeing him carefully.

He freezes.

Nico di Angelo. That's what the other Prey called him. Nico di Angelo was‒– He was‒–

_"Everyone thinks you're the lamest card, but I think you're the best!"_

_"You promised you would protect her!"_

_"You can't abandon your family because they did something horrible. You've done horrible things to them too."_

_"Yeah, well, not giving people a second thought . . . that can be dangerous."_

_"I had a crush on Percy. That's the truth. That's the big secret."_

_"I'm the son of Hades, Jason. I might as well be covered in blood and sewage, the way people treat me. I don't belong anywhere. I'm not even from this century. But that's not enough to set me apart."_

_"I am Nico di Angelo, son of Hades. I control the shadows. They do not control me."_

_"I . . . what? Why would you want a son of Hades in the same room with people you're trying to heal? Why would anyone want that?"_

The hellhound crumples to the snowy ground under the onslaught of memories.


	15. Chapter XV: Anthrópinos

**Epistr****èfo**

_Chapter XV: A__nthró̱pinos_

Jason remembers it like it was yesterday.

After the war with Gaea, things had been peaceful. There had been a decline in monster attacks for a whole two months.

He had enjoyed the peace.

One time, smack in the middle of the dining pavilion, Nico had frozen, dropped his plate with a loud crash, and stared intently off into the distance.

The campers had eyed him in confusion, some asking if he was alright or wondering if they should call a medic (not that it mattered; Will had already been running up to him with a look of frustrated concern on his face).

"Nico, I swear if you did something Underworld-ly again, I'll‒–"

"Leo's not dead anymore."

The words had been quiet, but they reverberated around the pavilion.

Jason had opened his mouth to say something, but before he could even think of anything to say, the kid had spun on his heel and dove into the nearest shadow.

* * *

One month later, Nico had returned.

He had stumbled out of the shadows of the Big House during the night, scaring the living daylights out of the few campers who had been sneaking out of their cabins. The ruckus caused had been enough to rouse the rest of the camp, and the campers were greeted to the sight of a pale, skinny Italian fainting while a dirty Latino boy yelped and attempted to grab him.

Behind them, Festus creaked happily to Calypso, who was too busy gazing in wonder at the camp to reply.

* * *

They had had about a month after that of peace before the monster attacks had increased.

Half-Bloods had started getting ambushed more and more, and Camp Jupiter had even had some monsters try to cross the Little Tiber. The monsters had begun to group up and form teams that actually thought the attacks through strategically, instead of just recklessly launching single attacks.

It had happened some time in April.

Jason, Nico, and Riley, one of Piper's half-siblings, had been returning from a quest. Suddenly, ten or so hellhounds had sprung from the shadows on all sides, lunging as one.

This part, Jason doesn't remember so clearly.

All he remembers is that Riley had gotten separated from them somehow, and that he and Nico had been fighting back to back against three hellhounds. He had slashed his sword through the skulls of two of them, and had been about to check on Nico, when‒–

"Jason, _move_!"

‒–and suddenly something had knocked into him forcefully, sending him sprawling.

Nico's scream would haunt him forever.

The hellhound had sunken its jaws into the boy, and he hadn't had to think before a blot of lightning had struck down the monster.

It had been too late for Nico, though.

He remembers screams‒–both his and Nico's‒–echoing throughout the clearing. He remembers fumbling through his pack for ambrosia, nectar, _anything_, but there hadn't been anything left and Nico had been fading and hadn't stopped bleeding and‒–

Jason had only been able watch helplessly as Nico had said his final words.

"This is not your time to die."


	16. Chapter XVI: Empistosýnii

**Epistr****èfo**

_Chapter XVI: E__mpistosýnii_

After Nico's death, the lingering taste of victory in the camp had completely vanished.

Riley hadn't stopped crying for days. Jason couldn't look at another hellhound without going berserk. Even Mrs. O' Leary, Percy's friendly hellhound, had nearly been struck by lightning by accident.

Will had said, through tears, that Nico hadn't believed anyone cared about him. Jason had remembered the boy's words─ _"I might as well be covered in blood and sewage, the way people treat me. I don't belong anywhere." _─and had only cried harder.

Three years later, not much had improved.

The camp had been getting livelier, and the campers' spirits had been raising, slowly but surely.

The attacks hadn't stopped, though. If anything, they had been getting worse. Jason had periodically gone off on his own to try and deplete the monster population, but it hadn't helped much when they had just kept reforming from Tartarus.

It had happened in November. Jason had been returning from one of his hunting trips when he was ambushed. The _dracaena _had sprung on him when he had landed briefly, and he had been unprepared. They had torn into his arm and he was almost certain he had been poisoned somehow when the snake women had suddenly froze.

Foolishly, he had thought it was a good thing when they fled.

Then, the pack of hellhounds had converged on him, and he had struggled to raise his sword, the sudden ignited rage at the sight of the monsters fueling his adrenaline.

They, too, had stopped suddenly, and if Jason hadn't been barely able to see straight he would've flown at them.

As it was, he had only registered a curious, red-eyed gaze and a feeling of calm before the world had darkened.

* * *

At first, it had been shocking to hear that he had been saved by a _hellhound_, of all creature, but as time went on, Jason had come to realize that the hellhound was nothing like others of its kind.

They had encountered the creature (not a monster, monsters were the _enemy_) several more times before it had finally came to live in Camp Half-Blood.

Jason had been surprised when he found himself _glad_ the hellhound stayed.

Leo had named him Stygian─ fitting, after the hellhound had done that weird connection thing with Nico's sword at his grave─ and for a while, it had actually seemed like things were starting to look up.

Of course, he had forgotten about demigods' luck.

The fierce attack on the camp by the league of monsters had been terrifying, but adrenaline surged through his body and granted him strength. Jason had been a whirlwind, smashing through the enemy in what seemed like one of the most important battles of his life.

So, of course, he got knocked out in the head.

When he came to, there were ghosts and skeletons streaming around, destroying monsters left and right, and Jason's first thought had been, _Nico._

* * *

Looking back on it now, Jason feels that maybe he shouldn't have been so enthusiastic about his friend being reincarnated into the creature that killed him.

He wonders, vaguely, if it had been Hades' idea of kindness towards his only son.

Gods were weird like that.

He sends off an IM to Thalia explaining the situation, but other than that, Jason doesn't bother to search for Nico. He knows the boy will return home to his friends.

He always does.

_**τέλος**_


End file.
